Evansville, INFor the fifth and sixth time in eight conference games, the #1-ranked University of Southern Indiana men's basketball team will be on the road when it travels to 16th-ranked University of Indianapolis Thursday, January 8, and Northern Kentucky University Saturday, January 10. Game time Thursday is 6:30 p.m. (CT) while Saturday's is 2:15 p.m. (CT).

The Screaming Eagles have faired well on the road in GLVC over the last five conference road trips, dating back to last season. The Eagles have won 11 straight conference road games, including the first four GLVC games of the 2003-04 season.

USI begins the road trip with a 12-1 overall record after recording a 6-1 homestand over the holiday season. The Eagles split their first GLVC home weekend, falling to #25 Lewis University, 82-77, and defeating the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, 71-63.

Senior center John Oden (St. Louis, Missouri) and freshman forward Goeff Van Winkle (Ferdinand, Indiana) led the Eagles in the GLVC contests at the Physical Activities Center. Oden led USI with 21 points and 10 rebounds in the loss to Lewis. Van Winkle, who had a season high 19 points in the loss to Lewis, led the team for the first time this season with 16 points against Wisconsin-Parkside.

Oden led the Eagles during the homestand with 17.7 ppg and 8.4 rpg over the seven games. Van Winkle stepped up his scoring at the PAC, posting double figure scoring in five of the last six games and averaging 11.7 ppg since December 13.

For the season, Oden is tops on the squad with 14.3 ppg and 7.1 rpg. Senior guard Joe Gordon (Palm Bay, Florida) is second on the team with 12.7 ppg, while junior center Randy Holbrook (St. Louis, Missouri) is a close third with 12.0 ppg. Senior forward Billy Harris (Carbondale, Illinois) is third with 10.2 ppg and is second on the team with 6.5 rpg.

First on the Eagles' travel itinerary is the 16th-ranked Greyhounds of Indianapolis. Indianapolis, 12-1 overall and 5-1 in the GLVC, lost its first game in 13 tries when it stumbled at Bellarmine University, 89-81, last Sunday.

Greyhounds' junior guard David Logan leads the way with 22.0 ppg and 4.0 assists per game. Logan was the Greyhounds' top scorer over the weekend with 44 points in the overtime win at Northern Kentucky and 29 points in the loss to Bellarmine.

Senior forward Rodney Rollins follows Logan in the scoring column with 14.3 ppg, while senior center Jason Wright is third with 11.0 ppg and leads the squad with 8.9 rpg.

The Eagles lead the overall series with Indianapolis, 39-13, and the series since 2000, 8-1. USI swept the conference games last year.

USI will conclude the road trip with a visit to Highland Heights, Kentucky, and Northern Kentucky. The Norse begin the week with a 10-5 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the GLVC. NKU will host Kentucky Wesleyan College Thursday evening before hosting the Eagles Saturday afternoon.

The last game for the Norse was their overtime loss to Indianapolis in Highland Heights. NKU was led in the loss by junior guard Mike Kelsey, who had 50 points.

For the season, Kelsey and senior center Jesse Rupe top the NKU scoring column with 18.8 ppg and 14.5 ppg, respectively. Rupe also is averaging a team-best 7.3 rpg.

USI holds the all-time series lead with NKU, 34-15, and has won six of 10 since 2000. The Eagles also swept last season's games, including an 87-85 overtime victory in Highland Heights.